Remember What You Told Me
by whenidance
Summary: Future fic, Kurt & Blaine never dated in high school, but remained friends. Ten years later, Kurt's waking up in Vegas daily while Blaine is in New York, and neither has acted on their love for each other. Until now. Originally published 1/15/11 at LJ.


It was after midnight by the time Kurt hopped on the 215 to head home. He turned on the radio, not even wanting to deal with choosing the music for his twenty minute drive. He looked in his rearview mirror, bidding the sparkle and glitter of the Las Vegas strip goodbye until tomorrow, hoping his friends weren't missing him too much at whatever club they had ended up at after the show.

Because Blaine was coming tomorrow. Whenever he visited Blaine, he needed a night to wallow and sulk and pretend he was sixteen again, not the twenty six year old man he had become. Because if he did that, he would able to be the happy-go-lucky best friend of Blaine he had forced himself to be over the last ten years while he and Blaine were together. Well, maybe not so much happy-go-lucky – but smiling and witty, at least. The only difference between sulking sixteen year old Kurt and sulking twenty six year old Kurt was the bottle of wine.

He often wondered why he did it, why he kept up with Blaine all these years – but it all came back to a conversation he'd had with Mercedes when he was seventeen, a year after he met Blaine and trying to decide what to do about the whole damn situation, dancing on the fringe of friends or lovers. Mercedes had finally asked him if he was content with just being friends with Blaine the rest of his life, if that's what they had to be, if Blaine didn't really feel the same way – and he had said, yes, of course.

So, it was then he made a conscious decision to stop just waiting. It was then he made the decision to move to LA and chose a scholarship at FIDM instead of following to New York and FIT while Blaine went to NYU to study music education. It was then he started dating a fellow Warbler who had been flirting with him – _actual_flirting, not just_I-don't-know-what-your-intentions-are_ flirting – for over six months. It was fun and light and just what Kurt needed after the year of inner angst dealing with Blaine.

It was then he decided to stop dumping his problems on his friends and family. No more late night sorrow sessions with Mercedes, Tina, or Carole. They never asked, but he suspected they knew it was all still there, even all these years later. Maybe if he didn't tell anyone, it would go away, he thought, maybe it would all get better then.

He and Blaine had settled into the pattern of friends after high school easy enough with weekly phone calls and twice a year visits. Blaine had thrived at NYU, landing a position teaching music at a private boarding school right after graduation while continuing on to get his Masters, and at FIDM, Kurt had met his current employer through an internship. He was the only one in the office when country pop princess Sadie Leigh came in early for a fitting. The two hit it off immediately, despite the fact that Kurt's only experience with country music came from April Rhodes back in high school. When his boss finally returned, Sadie informed him that she hoped he wasn't too close to Kurt, because she was stealing him away after graduation.

He had laughed then, thinking she was just being nice, but two weeks before graduation, a job offer was couriered to him at the crappy student apartment he shared with his on again-off again boyfriend. Assistant Costume Designer for Sadie's world tour (who knew people outside of the US listened to country music?). It had been a whirlwind two years, and when Sadie finally settled down in Las Vegas, to sing to fans nightly at the MGM thirty-eight weeks a year, he had been upped to Head Costume Designer when Maria declined. A year and a half later, he can see why she did – the weather and dryness was god-awful, and he was sure he would have lung cancer by thirty due to all the smoke. But Sadie was loyal to a fault, and he had a good team and a more than generous salary for someone so young, so he wouldn't trade his life for much.

He flipped off the radio as he pulled into his driveway – see what good that did for keeping his mind off things. He hadn't planned on buying a house. He had always figured he'd end up with some condo in a high rise off the strip or out by the lake, but when he came to a housewarming party for one of the sound guys, Dave, (who, mind you, had a wife and two kids) he fell in love with the neighborhood. He fell in love with the idea of having some privacy after years of living in hotel rooms and crappy apartments. So, no, the extra two bedrooms almost never got used, even though he had turned one into a sewing room, but the balcony off the master and the view of the mountains more than made up for it.

Kurt dropped all of his things by the front door, promising himself that he'd pick them up later (though, really, deep down he knew they'd stay there until tomorrow). He grabbed a bottle of wine and a glass and made his way to the balcony.

He tried not to think of the last few times he saw Blaine, but why did he kid himself. After the New Year's incident fourteen months ago, he really didn't know if he trusted himself around Blaine. They had been touring for so long, and he longed for someone who knew him, really got him, that he snuck out of the chaos of Sadie performing on Rockin' New Year's Eve to surprise Blaine at his party. Maria covered for him as his Christmas present, and he'd walked six blocks just to find a cab.

In hindsight, he probably should have texted or called, but adrenaline was pumping through him. He wanted nothing more than to rush into Blaine's arms and tell him how stupid they've been, how they belonged together, how they both were finally not in relationships at the same time, how they couldn't keep doing this. But when he rushed into Blaine's apartment, full of people and twenty minutes to midnight, he saw Blaine and another guy making out in a corner.

He wanted to run back to Times Square before anyone saw him, but Blaine caught his eye before he could. When Blaine introduced him to James, Kurt saw a flicker of recognition in James' eyes, and he didn't look thrilled. It probably didn't help that Blaine had stayed with him until the ball dropped, kissing him on the cheek at midnight and drunkenly thanking him for being such a good friend. He had feigned an excuse to get back to work after that, awkward and unsure what else to do. Blaine never spoke of James again.

He didn't see Blaine again until later that summer. Blaine had suggested he come to Las Vegas in June, but Kurt staved him off due to the heat. It certainly didn't have anything to do with Matt, who was all wrong for him but who he was dating anyways. Not at all. Kurt knew that Blaine would see that the second he laid eyes on Matt.

The show took a five week break starting in late July and he promised to visit then. By then, Kurt was sick of the hundred and twenty degree heat and craved something, anything cooler. He broke up with Matt and made a point to travel everywhere, catching up on old friends who he hadn't had the time to see since he started working. Tina in Seattle, Mercedes in Chicago, even Finn in Texas had been lovely.

He purposefully put his parents back in Ohio and Blaine in New York last – selfishly, he knew Blaine would be starting school in August, so his time would be limited by the time he got there. He pretended like he didn't notice the disappointment in Blaine's voice when he told him his travel schedule, blaming everyone else for the way things were laid out. Kurt had arrived in New York during Blaine's last full week of summer vacation, but Blaine had meetings scheduled off and on at school that he couldn't change. He did hear the smile in Blaine's voice when he told Kurt he'd be in town for one of his shows. A few times a year, Blaine would play a set at an old restaurant near his apartment. He'd been doing it since college, and it had been that long since Kurt saw him play.

It was probably a good thing, because Blaine singing and playing his guitar got to Kurt in a way that was hard for him to deal with. He was just so beautiful when he sang; he poured so much heart into it. Kurt was glad he was situated at a table in the back. He was wondering if his students knew how lucky they were to have him as a teacher, when he noticed a group of them up towards the front. Or at least, he figured, since the group of kids looked like the type to go to Blaine's school, not necessarily the type to come in the ancient restaurant.

It was a good mix of original songs and covers, and just as Blaine was introducing an original song, the waitress brought him another drink, and he almost missed the intro. Something about writing it when he was in a bad place, and unrequited love. When the words of yearning and desire and wanting what wasn't his and what could have been came out, Kurt had figured it couldn't have been him. It was a sad song, both sweet and a little bit angry at the same time, and what had he and Blaine had together that was any of that? Blaine caught his eye towards the end, though, and the look he gave Kurt made him question. But afterwards, he laughed and moved on to something happy, and after the show, neither of them mentioned it, Blaine too high from the performance, hugging him and introducing him as an old friend to some of his students.

Blaine just couldn't keep doing this, putting things out there, and Kurt not knowing how to react.

It had been a long ten years, and Kurt was tired of dancing.

-

Kurt awoke on the couch on his balcony to a half empty bottle of wine, ringing cell phone, and a killer headache. Had he really fallen asleep outside? He looked at the caller ID and it was Blaine, who should have been in the air.

"Blaine? You okay?" he murmured into the phone, hoping Blaine couldn't tell he was hung over and half asleep.

"No! No, Kurt, I'm not okay! Wait … are you okay?"

Kurt groaned. "Fine. Just … shouldn't you be on your way here?"

"No! I'm freaking out! I missed my flight and now I'm stuck in Atlanta for four hours, they have me on a later one, and I called my hotel and they lost my reservation! In this day and age, how can you lose a hotel reservation? I don't know what I'm going to do, Kurt!"

Kurt couldn't help but giggle. "Blaine. Calm down. This is Las Vegas, there's not a shortage of hotel rooms. You'll get here just fine."

Blaine was still panicked though. "But, I got a really good deal on that hotel room, and now everything is four times what I paid!"

Kurt had to laugh again. Blaine had an endowment that made his teacher's salary look like chump change – heck Kurt's own salary was paltry compared to it – and he was getting worked up over losing a deal.

"Blaine. It's okay."

"No, Kurt, everything is just going wrong!"

Kurt sighed. "Blaine, do you want to stay with me? It's not like I don't have the room."

He regretted it the instant he said it. Out of respect for each other's small spaces and former boyfriends, they had never stayed in the same place together, always getting hotel rooms when they visited. Kurt didn't want him to take it the wrong way.

"Really, Kurt? You sure?"

"Yeah, I mean it won't be as fun as being on the strip, but I do have tomorrow and Monday off. I can take you to do touristy stuff then, and you can have my car while I'm at work."

"Really?"

"Okay, Blaine, you're sounding like a broken record. If you're going to stay here, I should get off the phone and clean up. What time do you get in now?"

"Seven."

"Take a cab to MGM and have them hold your bags, I'll leave a ticket to the show tonight with the concierge. That'll entertain you until I get off."

"Thanks, Kurt, I really owe you one." Kurt told himself the excitement in Blaine's voice was for having something go right in a day of wrongs, not the fact that he was spending six days at Kurt's house.

He cleaned the house as best he could in the time he had, finally closing the door to the sewing room and declaring it a lost cause. He had skipped his moisturizing routine last night and since he fell asleep outside in the desert, instead of inside with his humidifier, his skin was going to pay. He tried to start fixing it before it got worse, but realized he was going to be late and he still had to get Blaine a ticket. He called the stage manager from the car.

"Kurt? Are you okay?" Karen said when she picked up. Kurt almost never called her, especially not this close to a show.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just running a few minutes late. Do we have any extra comp tickets tonight?"

"Sure, how many do you need?"

"Just one. Can you leave it for Blaine Anderson?"

"Sure … Blaine Anderson … okay, I'm writing it down for Sarah to deal with now – wait, Sadie wants to talk to you."

"Kurt!"

"Sadie!" Kurt was trying not to be testy with her, but it was hard since he was stuck in traffic and running even later. "What's up?"

"Blaine Anderson. Is this the Blaine? Why didn't you tell me he was coming to the show?"

Kurt winced. One night on tour a few years ago, after a show when they had been drinking, he had told Sadie and a few crew members everything about Blaine. "It's kind of a last minute thing. I was going to bring him later in the week, but his flights were delayed and his hotel reservation was canceled … so now he's staying with me. His flight gets in soon and he's coming straight to MGM."

"Kurt, hotel reservations don't cancel themselves. You don't think …?"

"No, no I do not think. Sadie, I love you, and you're the optimist to my pessimist, I know that's why you keep me around, but please, behave and do not start."

Kurt could hear her pouting on the other end. "You know, you've never taken a day off in your life, if you want to take the week."

A week? Alone in his house with Blaine? He strangled the frustrated scream in his throat. "No, Sadie, that's perfectly fine. We're dark the next few days and that will be plenty. I'll see you when I get there."

Luckily, when he got to work it was go, go, go, and he didn't have time to think. He did check his phone a few minutes before show time to see a text from Blaine, saying he arrived safely and picked up his ticket. The first third of the show ran through with minor problems for Kurt, and he was standing in the wings waiting for a song to be over for a costume change. He felt his phone vibrate in one of the pockets of his canvas work belt, which was stuffed with all kinds of pins and tapes to fix things throughout the show. He stepped back so the light of the phone wouldn't interfere with the set and checked it.  
><strong><br>**From: Blaine  
>Nice belt.<p>

Kurt felt himself starting to blush. He hadn't realized he could be seen, but then again, Blaine was probably the only one looking for him. He had his ridiculous work belt on, a measuring tape wrapped around his neck like a scarf, and his hair was probably sticking up every which way. Hopefully all of this couldn't be seen from where Blaine was sitting.  
><strong><br>**To: Blaine  
>Isn't it considered rude to text during a show?<p>

He waited a few moments and sent another one.  
><strong><br>**To: Blaine  
>Since I'm already ruining your neighbor's experience - I'm about to get really busy, but wait in the theater after the show. I'll send my assistant to get you.<p>

It was over thirty minutes before he could check his phone again, and only one message.  
><strong><br>**From: Blaine  
>Assistant? Someone's made it big.<p>

He thought he had mentioned Laura in their phone conversations, but perhaps he hadn't clarified her position. It wasn't long before the show was over and Laura was going out to get Blaine.

"Hannah! No! The blue silk needs to be dry cleaned, the hem is all dirty, give it here." He took the garment from her and turned around to see Blaine and Laura.

"Hi! Laura found you. I'm going to save your hug for later when I'm not covered in sharp objects." He motioned to his assortment of pins. Blaine just laughed.

"You didn't tell me Laura was your assistant," Blaine said incredulously, to which Kurt just flipped his hand.

"He's usually not this modest," Laura said, and Blaine just answered, "I know!"

They all shared a laugh and Kurt handed Laura the blue gown. "I just have to do a garment round up and then I'm done, so come for the tour?"

The three wandered through the chaos, picking up all of Kurt's beautiful garments and separating them out. Kurt introduced Blaine as they went. Word must have gotten around, because people Kurt didn't need to interact with were finding reasons to come over and introduce themselves. This slowed down the process considerably, and finally Laura offered to rack all of the costumes while Kurt went off to get Sadie's.

Kurt knocked on her dressing room door. "Beautiful, are you decent?"

"For you I am!" a voice from the other side called out.

Kurt just rolled his eyes. "I have my friend, Blaine, with me."

"Oh! Well, in that case." Kurt fidgeted a little with the tape measure around his neck, hoping Sadie would remember his plea to behave.

Sadie gave the signal to come in, and she skipped shaking Blaine's hand, enveloping him in a hug. The conversation went well. Sadie apparently remembered everything Kurt had ever said about Blaine and she behaved herself very well. It wasn't until they were leaving, Sadie giving them hugs again, that he heard her whisper to Blaine, "Kurt works too much, see if you can convince him to take some time off."

He winked at her _(winked!)_. "I'll see what I can do."

When Kurt leaned in to kiss her cheeks, he commented, "I'm not deaf, you know. See you Tuesday."

-

Blaine had never actually been to Las Vegas, so Kurt played tour guide on the way home, pointing out places of interest and things he might have mentioned on the phone.

While they drove through Kurt's complex, Blaine commented on how nice the neighborhood was. "Dave, the sound guy you met, lives here, plus Dan, one of our lighting guys, moved in after me. I liked how the houses weren't on top of each other."

Kurt watched in amazement how Blaine looked at each house. They were nothing too special, new but pretty standard three and four bedroom houses. Blaine must have caught Kurt staring at him, because he replied to the unanswered question. "After living in New York so long, sometimes I forget what real houses and neighborhoods are like. You know, everywhere else. Suburbia."

When they arrived at his place, Kurt gave him a quick tour of the house and showed him where the guest bedroom and bathroom were. "Are you hungry? Or exhausted? Or … " Kurt trailed off, not knowing what to do with him. He was probably tired from the day's travel.

"A shower would be great."

Kurt left Blaine to get cleaned up, and went to make himself something to eat and drink. Kurt was going to need a drink. Kurt had never been so happy to have two showers, because the thought of Blaine in his shower … Kurt couldn't process that.

When Blaine returned, all cleaned up, Kurt began to apologize. "Sorry, I usually do my shopping on Sundays and wasn't expecting company, so I have no food. I have cheese, and crackers, and … I just ate the last apple, sorry again." He paused for a minute gauging Blaine's reaction and raised his glass. "I also have vodka and cranberry juice."

Blaine smiled at that. "That sounds perfect." His hair had started to curl around the edges, still wet from the shower.

After Blaine made a drink, he headed over to the kitchen table but Kurt stopped him. "No, wait. You haven't seen the best part yet." He grinned and grabbed Blaine's hand, leading him up the stairs and through his bedroom.

"You're bedroom's the best part?" Blaine asked, a bit confused. "I mean, sorry, it's nice."

Kurt threw open the curtains and motioned for him to come out on the balcony. "_This_is the best part." He pointed at the view of the mountains in the distance, some still snowcapped.

"Wow. Really, wow," Blaine said, obviously speechless. The two sat down in Kurt's matching armchairs.

"I try to sit out here every night and unwind. A lot of people at work like to go out after the shows, I like to come home and stare at the mountains."

"I can see why. Did you go out last night? You sounded a little hung over this morning," Blaine commented, sipping on his drink.

Kurt coughed on his own drink and just replied, "Uh, yeah, something like that." Blaine's brow furrowed at the comment, but he ignored it, and Blaine didn't press the issue. They stared off at the mountains longer than Kurt realized, because neither of them had spoken another word, and suddenly Kurt was inside freshening up their drinks.

When he returned, Blaine looked deep in thought. "Everything alright?"

Blaine nodded, and took his vodka cranberry from Kurt. "Everything okay with you?"

"Sure, why?"

Blaine just shook his head. "I don't know. It seems like something happened last night you don't want to talk about."

Kurt laughed shrilly. "Oh. That. That's just my stupidity."

When Blaine sat quietly, waiting for an answer, Kurt sighed and continued. "I was here, on the balcony, by myself. I drank too much red wine and fell asleep on the couch over there, which I never do, because I hate being in this dry air any more than necessary. So, when you called, I was waking up to realize that. I just feel stupid," he said, quickly drinking more so he didn't blurt out why he had been drinking alone.

Blaine just laughed. "Oh. I wasn't sure if you met some guy last night and then here I am, messing up all your plans."

Kurt had to laugh at that. Even when he did go out with his coworkers, he never looked for guys anymore. He had been there, done that, and didn't want to remember. "No, when we go out - I mean, most of the people you meet here are on vacation. It's hard to find someone who lives here, and then even harder to find someone normal on top of that." He smiled at Blaine and Blaine laughed.

They sat in silence a bit longer before Kurt asked the question he knew he had to, but didn't want to. "What about you? Meet anyone nice lately?"_Nice?_Why had he said nice?

Blaine shook his head. "How are two handsome guys like us single?"

Kurt rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"So, you were out here drinking. Kind of like tonight. Any special occasion?"

Kurt shrugged again. Why couldn't he just let it go? "I was just … thinking about the past. I tend to do that when I see you."

"I'm sorry," Blaine said quietly. "Anything in particular?"

He sighed. "Blaine, just drop it."

He nodded, and the sipped their drinks in silence, staring at the mountains. Kurt finally finished his drink, realizing there wasn't a reason for him to be silent anymore. He needed to say something.

"Why didn't we ever date in high school?"

Crap. It was out there. In the universe. He couldn't pull the words and put them back in his mouth and make them go away. He kept his gaze on the horizon, not willing himself to look at Blaine. He heard Blaine sigh heavily.

"I was scared. I didn't want to mess it up. I was convinced I'd mess it up, mess you up. And then when you went to LA, I realized I'd already messed it up." Blaine let out a large, frustrated sigh. "Basically, because I'm stupid, Kurt."

"Because you're stupid," Kurt mused, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice, but failing pretty miserably. He drank the very last drops of his drink where the ice melted, and decided he'd had enough for the night. "Blaine, I'm sorry for being a horrible host, but I'm exhausted. I'm going to take a shower and go to bed. Feel free to stay out here as long as you like."

He was inside before Blaine could say anything, and he made a beeline to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He took the longest shower possible, getting out just as he was getting wrinkles on his fingers, and took his time moisturizing and brushing his teeth. He was hoping Blaine would take the hint and go to bed.

But no, Blaine was sitting on the edge of Kurt's bed when he left the bathroom. He had changed into a tee shirt and sweatpants instead of the jeans and button down he was wearing earlier. He must have gotten ready for bed and changed his mind.

"Hi?" Blaine flinched a bit as he said it, as if Kurt was going to bite his head off.

"Hi." Kurt stayed in the doorway of the bathroom, not bridging the gap between them.

"Can we … talk?"

"Okay." Kurt cautiously inched towards Blaine, still leaving a bit of space in between them. "I'm all talked out. You talk, I'll listen."

Blaine stared at Kurt for a few moments before he started. "You know when you get a really nice piece of clothing and you're scared to wear it out?"

"No," Kurt replied, a little too harshly. "Whenever I get something new, I can't wait to wear it out. I usually wear it the next day."

Blaine cringed, obviously not the answer he was hoping for. "Okay. Well. What's one piece of clothing you're still looking for? I know there has to be something."

Kurt sighed. He supposed he should be nicer. "There's this McQueen jacket I cut out of Vogue in middle school. It was bluish-grey with white polka dots and gold birds. I've kept it on my inspiration board forever. I've never been able to find it in good condition, or in my size."

"So, say you finally find it. And it's perfect, more perfect than you imagined. It fits you like a glove and goes perfect with your coloring and is hands down the best piece of clothing you own. It's hanging in your closet and you start to think - what happens the first time you wear it? What if you spill something on it? Trip and fall and rip off an arm? Run into a guy with a knife who slashes it up? Whatever. So much could go wrong and it took you so long to find it and it's just amazing. It's irreplaceable. So, you don't wear it, you keep it in your closet to admire it all the time, which isn't fair to you or the jacket, but it's all you know how to do. All you can handle."

Kurt just stared at him with his eyes wide. How long had it taken him to come up with that? Blaine reached out for his hands and pulled him closer, staring at their hands. Kurt's body tensed at Blaine's touch.

"I … don't want you to think I'm telling you this just because you asked. I kind of … I was going to … I didn't book a hotel room, hoping you'd offer to let me stay. I'm just … really sorry, Kurt."

Kurt continued to stare at him, unsure what to say. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Blaine never meeting his eye.

"Kurt, I kind of put myself out on a limb here, please say something."

"I …" Kurt tried, but he was confused. He still didn't know what to say. Part of him wanted to send Blaine to his room to discuss it tomorrow after a decent night of sleep, and the other part wanted to throw Blaine down on the bed and make up for lost time.

"I've left you speechless. I don't know if that's good or bad." Blaine finally met Kurt's eye and Kurt could see his eyes were damp.

"Oh, Blaine." Kurt pulled Blaine into a hug. Being that Blaine was still sitting on the edge of the bed, his head hit Kurt's chest. He nestled into it, and Kurt placed one hand at the back of his neck.

"I never did get that hug."

Kurt laughed into Blaine's hair. "Guess not."

They hugged for a while, Kurt rubbing Blaine's back aimlessly with his other hand. Finally, Blaine pulled his head back and started to talk again. "Kurt –"

"Shh." Kurt placed a finger delicately on Blaine's lips. "Now you're all talked out." He replaced the finger with his own lips, touching just as light. Blaine pulled Kurt into the kiss, deepening it, grabbing at his shoulders and around his neck. The angle was a little awkward, but Kurt didn't care. They kissed for a while, soft and slow, and it was the only apology Kurt needed.

So, when Blaine pulled back, a worried expression on his face, Kurt wanted to smack him upside the head.

"Okay, wait," Kurt said disapprovingly. He motioned between them. "If this is going to work, you have to stop that. I don't know why I turn you into a sixteen year old emotionally. Well, that's not true, I've been there, but at least I have the sense to not act that way around you. We're not sixteen, we're nearly thirty, and I promise, you are not going to break me or hurt me, and if you do, I promise to fucking tell you."

A small smile crept onto Blaine's lips. "I'm sorry."

Kurt groaned. "Number two. No more apologizing. I was there, I'm aware of what went on. I forgive you for being an idiot. I wasn't that smart either, okay?"

Kurt pushed Blaine further back on the bed so he could climb up next to him. He twisted himself so he was face to face with Blaine and smiled coyly, whispering faintly on his lips. "Those are my rules, do you think you can abide?"

Blaine grunted some sort of affirmation, and kissed Kurt again, the opposite of soft and slow this time. Kurt guided him even further back on the bed, straddling him as Blaine's head hit the pillows. His mouth found Blaine's neck, and he trailed his tongue up it.

"This is what's going to happen," he breathed into Blaine's ear. "You're going to lay here and let me do all the things I've been dying to do for the last decade, and if you're good, I'll let you return the favor."

-

When Kurt awoke the next day, the sun was shining bright in his face. He groaned and cautiously opened one eye to see that his curtains hadn't been shut. He always shut his curtains … oh, right. Blaine. That would also explain the arm grabbing around his waist, the weight of another person pressed up against his back, the light kisses that were being placed behind his ear. He shivered, oversensitive from sleep, and he heard Blaine laugh behind him. "Good morning," he whispered in between kisses.

Kurt grunted, which made Blaine laugh even more. "Still not a morning person, I see."

It took Kurt all the energy he had to roll over and face Blaine, finally opening his eyes a little since the sun was at his back. "It's not my fault you're way too chipper for just waking up."

"I've been up for a while. You're awfully cute when you sleep," Blaine teased, grinning as he moved his attention to Kurt's jaw.

Kurt finally smiled then. Why was this so easy now? Why wasn't it before? Why hadn't they been doing this –

"Hey." Kurt broke away from his thoughts and looked at Blaine's confused face. "If you get two rules, so do I. I know you too well. If I can't say I'm sorry, you can't wonder why. Just … be happy for right now, okay?"

Kurt scrunched up his face some more. "Fine," he finally sighed. "What's your second rule?"

A playful grin crossed Blaine's face. "You have to call and request the week off."

Kurt pretended to act shocked. "What if I don't want to spend the whole week with you?"

Blaine apparently thought his act was humorous. He twisted himself so he was now hovering above Kurt. "I'm sure can convince you."

-

The July heat was still sweltering when Kurt pulled into his driveway late one night. He had one more week of shows, and then he had five weeks off where he could hibernate in his house with the AC blasting, leaving only when necessary. Blaine would be here in four days and his stuff would follow right behind him

As he went to unlock his door, he noticed there was a package leaning up against the side of the house. He hadn't ordered anything lately, so he looked at the return address. A pack and ship place in New York. Confused, he brought it inside and figured it could wait until after he talked to Blaine. His fridge was bare again, the Saturday norm, but he managed to make a salad out of what he had left. He dialed Blaine on speaker while he ate.

"Hey! Did you open it yet?" Blaine asked, more enthusiastic than he should have at two in the morning his time.

Kurt was confused for a moment before he remembered the package. "That was from you? No, I haven't opened it yet. I just got in."

"Well, open it, silly, and call me back." Blaine ended the call before Kurt could respond.

He choked down his salad and walked back to the door to retrieve his box. When he cut open the tape, he found another box, shiny white with a big red ribbon. There was a card under the ribbon, but Kurt figured no one was watching, so he set it off to the side. His curiosity got the best of him and he opened box. Inside, wrapped in white tissue paper, was the jacket he had told Blaine about, in near perfect condition. He ran his fingers over the golden birds, not a thread out of place.

Now he understood what Blaine had meant. Sure, he had clothes he loved, but this was irreplaceable. The thought behind it, the trouble Blaine had gone to find it – he had to treat this one well.

He finally was able to tear himself away from it long enough to open the card.

_Kurt,___

_Remember what you told me? About the jacket? I hope you're going to stick to your guns and wear it immediately. Don't listen to anything I said.___

_I figured if it was anywhere, it would be here. Didn't want to leave the city without it.___

_All my love,__  
><em>_Blaine__  
><em>  
>What he was wearing didn't really go with the jacket at all, but that didn't stop Kurt from pulling it on and snapping a picture in his mirror to send to Blaine, just to show him this one wasn't going to hang in his closet forever either.<p> 


End file.
